Principles of Schengen should not be compromised, Frieden tells Von der Leyen

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a visit to Luxembourg on Monday met with Prime Minister Luc Frieden who warned against a disintegration of the Schengen area.

Unlike many of her German compatriots who commute across the border to Luxembourg for work, Ursula von der Leyen was probably not stuck in a traffic jam when she arrived in Luxembourg on Monday morning for the swearing in of the next European Commission.

“The commission must ensure that the basic principles of Schengen cannot be permanently suspended for temporary reasons,” Frieden told the Luxemburger Wort after his meeting with Von der Leyen.

Prime Minister Frieden emphasised that von der Leyen was aware of the burden that border controls would place on a country like Luxembourg. © Photo credit: SIP

Germany on 16 September extended temporary border checks first introduced during the Euro 2024 football championship. The measure to stem illegal migration into the country and stop human smugglers is due to expire after six months but Interior Minister Nancy Faeser has already announced Germany would seek to extend the checks.

“I emphasised the importance of the internal market and Schengen for Luxembourg,” said Frieden about his meeting with the European Commission president. Around 50,000 cross-border workers commute into Luxembourg.

Luxembourg on several occasions has expressed its opposition to the border controls, which should only be applied in exceptional circumstances under EU rules but are looking to become a new norm.

Friedrich Merz, the candidate in Germany’s upcoming election for the CDU (the sister party of Frieden’s CSV) last week suggested he would make the checks permanent if elected chancellor, defying the Schengen agreement.

Strong transatlantic partnership important

“She listens to countries large and small, so this meeting was very important in order to be able to respond to Luxembourg’s perspective on a number of issues,” Frieden said about Monday’s meeting.

While border checks were one topic of conversation, Europe’s competitiveness also ranked high. The EU must not lose ground compared to America or China, Frieden said, and it is important to work more closely together at European level in areas such as space technologies or the steel industry.

The challenge posed by the change of power in the White House was also a topic of discussion.

“We believe that Europe needs strong transatlantic relations,” said Frieden with a view to the new US President Donald Trump. “But at the same time, Europe must be strengthened. We decide our own policy in Europe.”

Europe must also see itself more strongly as a community of values that stands up for democracy and freedom, he said.

The swearing-in of the European Commission was planned for the early afternoon in front of the Court of Justice of the European Union in Kirchberg. Luxembourg’s European Commissioner Christophe Hansen (CSV) was unable to attend as he was in Brussels for a meeting of EU agriculture ministers. He will make up for his swearing-in at the ECJ at a later date.

The President of the Court of Justice of the European Union, Koen Lenaerts, welcomes Ursula von der Leyen at the swearing-in ceremony. © Photo credit: Dati Bendo – EC – Audiovisual Service

(This story was first published in the Luxemburger Wort. Translated and edited with additional reporting by Cordula Schnuer)